Safety cover cap for an aerosol container

ABSTRACT

A two-piece cover cap for an aerosol container, wherein the pieces present a unitary appearance, but permit of and require deliberate relative rotation to open and thereby prevent accidental opening by children, and wherein proper directional discharge of the container is effectively assured.

Unit Sttes Patent 3,655,100 [4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 Marlrowitz [54] SAFETY COVER CAP FOR AN AERGSOL CONTAINER [72] Inventor: lsral J. Markowitz, 59 East 42nd Street,

[52] U.S. Cl ..222/182 [51] Int. Cl ..B65d 85/14 [58] Field of Search ..222/182,402.11,402.13

[56] 7 References (Iited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,153,497 10/1964 Sagarin ..222/182 X 3,369,712 2/1968 Osrow ..222/182 2,982,448 5/1961 Leonard et a1 ..222/182 X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Lining & Siegel and Henry A. Marzullo, Jr.

I ABSTRACT A two-piece cover cap for an aerosol container, wherein the pieces present a unitary appearance, but permit of and require deliberate relative rotation to open and thereby prevent accidental opening by children, and wherein proper directional discharge of the container is effectively assured.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SAFETY COVER CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 850,897, filed Aug. 18, 1969, and entitled Safety Aerosol Cover Cap and Method of Assembly and US. Pat. Nos. 3,403,803 and 3,462,045 filed Aug. 31, 1966 and Nov. 6, 1967, respectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in the art, it is important in aerosol or pressurized containers for household use to provide effective deterrent to the accidental opening, as by children. Also, effective control of the direction of discharge in use is most desirable in operation of aerosol containers, for maximum utilization of the contents as well as avoidance of accidents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an important object of the present invention to provide a cover cap for an aerosol container which is highly safe against opening by children, or inadvertent opening by others, presents a neat and uniquely attractive appearance simulating a one-piece cover, and which is highly effective in preventing discharge of contents in an undesired direction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an aerosol cap cover having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph and which can be assembled to an aerosol container in a relatively simple operation as in said parent patent application.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety aerosol cover cap of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, durable and reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured and assembled by mass production techniques.

Other objects of the present invention will become'apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing the lower cap element of a cover cap constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing an upper cap element of a cover cap of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 2. I

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view showing the elements of FIGS. 3 and 4 in assembled relation, together with an aerosol container.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown in FIG. 1 a lower cap element, generally designated 10, while there is illustrated in FIG. 2 an upper cap element generally designated 1 I.

The lower element 10, see FIGS. 1 and 3, includes a generally cylindrical inner side wall 14 provided on its exterior surface with fastening means, such as interrupted helical ribs or threads 15. The upper end of the inner cylindrical side wall 14 is preferably smooth, as at the curved external surface 16,

and may extend thence radially inwardly about its circumference to define an inwardly extending annular flange 17. The annular flange 17 may be considered as having a central aperture 18, and the structure of wall 14 and flange 17 may be rigidified and strengthened by generally triangular ribs or gussets 19 extending radially inwardly from the interior of the inner side wall 14 and joined to the underside of the flange 17, the ribs 19 being angularly spaced, as desired.

The lower end of the generally upright inner cylindrical side wall 14 of the lower cap element 10 may be formed with a radially outstanding circumferentially extending wall or flange 20. An annular, circumferentially extending, upstanding lip or ridge 21 is provided on the outer edge of the flange 20, extending circumferentially thereabout. Thus, the rib or upstanding lip 21 defines a generally cylindrical wall spaced outwardly from the wall 14, and combines with the latter wall and the flange or wall 20 interconnecting the walls 21 and 14 to define an annularly extending upwardly facing U-shaped channel 23 surrounding the inner wall 14. The outer surface of the outer wall or lip 21 may be roughened, as at 22, to facilitate frictional manual holding, as by knurling or other suitably roughened formation.

Upstanding from the upper surface of the flange 17, extending in circular relation concentric thereto, is an annular upper wall 25. The upper wall 25 is located in spaced relation between the outer extremity of the flange 17, at the curved circumferential comer 16, and the central opening 18. Further, the upper annular or tubular wall 25 terminates at an upper edge 26 which lies in a plane oblique to the axis of the lower cap element 10. Thus, the upper wall 25 if formed with one side, say the rear side 27 of less height than the diametrically opposite or front side 28. Additionally, the higher front side or region 28 of wall 25 is formed with a through opening 30 of vertically elongate or slot-like configuration, best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

It will now be appreciated that the lower cap element 10 may include the inner cylindrical side wall 14, and concentric therewith at the lower end thereof the outer upwardly opening channel 23, having at its upper end an inwardly extending centrally open flange 17 provided on its upper side with the concentrically located upstanding annular wall 25. In practice, it is preferred that the lower cap element, as described hereinbefore, be integrally fabricated, say of plastic or other suitable material.

The upper cap element 11 may include a generally cylindrical side wall 32 of a diameter suitable for close circumposition about the exterior of the inner side wall 14, and having its lower edge 33 engageable into and removable from the channel 23. Further, the interior surface of the cylindrical side wall 32, in the lower region thereof, is formed with fastening means, say helical ribs or interrupted threads 34 for cooperative association with the threads 15 of the side wall 14. Thus, the cylindrical side wall 32 is rotatable about the cylindrical inner side wall 14, and upon threaded engagement between the threads 15 and 34, the side wall 32 is secured with its lower edge 33 in the channel 23.

The cylindrical side wall 32 of upper cap element 11 extends upwardly beyond the upper extremity of the upper wall 25 when the lower edge 32 of the upper cap element is in the channel 23, as seen in FIG. 5. A top wall 34' extends across the upper end of the side wall 32 in closing relation thereto, and a hollow tube-like element or depending annular wall 35 is formed on the underside of the top wall 34 extending closely about the upper wall 25. That is, the tube-like element 35 depends centrally from the underside of the top wall 34', extending closely and rotatably about the upper wall 25 in the assembled condition of FIG. 5.

In practice, the upper cap element 11 may advantageously be integrally fabricated, say of plastic or the like, as by suitable mass production procedures. In the assembled condition of FIGS. 5 and 6, the lower cap element 10 and upper cap element 11 present the appearance of a single unit, for a neat and attractive ornamental appearance, and to effectively resist opening by children. However, opening is easily effected by adults upon deliberate relative rotation between the lower cap element and upper cap element 11. Toward this end, it is only necessary to manually hold the outer wall or collar 21 of the channel 23 while relatively rotating the upper cap element 1 1.

A generally circular valve actuating button 37 is disposed conformably within the upper wall 25, being vertically slidable therein. Further, the valve actuating button 37 has its upper surface 38 of a sloping configuration for movement upward into a flush position with respect to the upper edge 26 of the upper wall 25. The valve actuating button 37 is depressible downwardly, slidably within the wall out of the flush relation with the upper edge of the upper wall. Additionally, the valve actuating button 37 is provided with a radially extending, tubular projection or nipple 40 which extends into the vertical slot or opening of the upper wall 25 so as to preclude the actuating button 37 against rotation with respect to the upper wall 25. An internal passageway 41 is formed in the valve actuating button 37 for communication between the nipple 40 and a valve 42.

The aerosol or pressurized container is best shown in FIG. 5, there being generally designated 44 and including a generally cylindrical can-like body 45. Extending upwardly from the upper end of the can-like body 45 is a conical neck portion 46, which may be joined at its lower, larger region to the upper end of the can-like body by a larger, lower annular bead 47. The upper smaller end of the conical neck portion 46 is provided with a small upper annular bead 48, which may I carry the valve 42.

In assembly of the safety cover cap 10, 11 with the aerosol container 44, it is only required to move the cover cap downwardly, to snap engage the central flange opening 18 downwardly about the smaller upper head 48 onto the under side thereof. This action places the lower channel wall 20 in engagement with the upper side of larger lower bead 47, so that the lower cap element 10 is effectively retained against vertical movement relative to the aerosol container 44, while being permitted rotational movement relative thereto. It is this rotational movement which defeats accidental opening of the cover cap and removal of the upper cap element 11 upon rotation of the latter relative to the container 44 without deliberate holding of the outer wall or collar 21 against rotatron.

The assembly of lower cap element 10, actuator button 37 and upper cap element 11, as seen in FIG. 5, may all be joined to the aerosol container 44 by the above-described procedure, the valve actuating button 37 simultaneously receiving the valve 42 in its passageway 41.

In addition to the above-discussed safety features limiting removal of the upper cap element 11, the sloped, flush relationship of button 37 and upper edge 26 of upper wall 25, serve to provide effective tactile indication of the direction of effluent discharge, and thereby further minimize the possibility of accidents. Not only does the sloped or angular disposition of button 37 and its receiving wall 35 effectively indicate jects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety cover cap for an aerosol container and the like having a conical neck portion terminating in a small upper annular bead and a larger lower annular bead and an upwardly extending valve actuating button communrcatrng with the inside of said aerosol container, comprising a lower cap element having a cylindrical side wall provided with fastening means and a radially inwardly extending annular flange, said flange having an aperture, the diameter being of a size which is capable of being snapped about said upper annular bead so as to fixedly retain said lower cap element in an axial direction but free to rotate same about said upper annular bead, an upper wall upstanding from said flange extending spacedly about said aperture for circumposition about said upper annular head, said actuating button being configured for vertical movement in sliding relation within said upper wall, an upper cap element having a cylindrical side wall cooperatively associated with the fastening means on the cylindrical side wall of said lower cap element, a hollow tube-like element extending downwardly from the inside top of said upper cap element rotatably surrounding said upper wall, the end of the cylindrical side wall of said lower cap element having a U-shaped channel for receiving the end of said cylindrical side wall of said upper cap element whereby the two-piece constructional features are rendered less discernible, said fastener means comprising threadable means engageable with and disengage able from the cylindrical side wall of said upper cap element upon relative rotation between said cap elements, and said channel being externally roughened to facilitate manual holding against rotation of said upper cap element.

2. The safety cover cap according to claim 1, wherein said upper wall and actuating button have their upper surfaces generally flush and directionally inclined for tactile indication of discharge direction.

3. The safety cover cap according to claim 2, wherein upper wall conformably surrounds said actuating button for depression of the latter within said upper wall.

4. The safety cover cap according to claim 3, in combina -tion with slot means in said upper wall and relatively vertically slidable interfitting means cooperatively associated with said actuating button for restraining said button against relative rotation with respect to said upper wall. 

1. A safety cover cap for an aerosol container and the like having a conical neck portion terminating in a small upper annular bead and a larger lower annular bead and an upwardly extending valve actuating button communicating with the inside of said aerosol container, comprising a lower cap element having a cylindrical side wall provided with fastening means and a radially inwardly extending annular flange, said flange having an aperture, the diameter being of a size which is capable of being snapped about said upper annular bead so as to fixedly retain said lower cap element in an axial direction but free to rotate same about said upper annular bead, an upper wall upstanding from said flange extending spacedly about said aperture for circumposition about said upper annular bead, said actuating button being configured for vertical movement in sliding relation within said upper wall, an upper cap element having a cylindrical side wall cooperatively associated with the fastening means on the cylindrical side wall of said lower cap element, a hollow tube-like element extending downwardly from the inside top of said upper cap element rotatably surrounding said upper wall, the end of the cylindrical side wall of said lower cap element having a U-shaped channel for receiving the end of said cylindrical side wall of said upper cap element whereby the two-piece constructional features are rendered less discernible, said fastener means comprising threadable means engageable with and disengageable from the cylindrical side wall of said upper cap element upon relative rotation between said cap elements, and said channel being externally roughened to facilitate manual holding against rotation of said upper cap element.
 2. The safety cover cap according to claim 1, wherein said upper wall and actuating button have their upper surfaces generally flush and directionally inclined for tactile indication of discharge direction.
 3. The safety cover cap according to claim 2, wherein upper wall conformably surrounds said actuating button for depression of the latter within said upper wall.
 4. The safety cover cap according to claim 3, in combination with slot means in said upper wall and relatively vertically slidable interfitting means cooperatively associated with said actuating button for restraining said button against relative rotation with respect to said upper wall. 